Gut feelings

[8FOR!3]

My gut feeling says we step up and finish the season 12-4. I'm hoping we win on Sunday though bc me and my mom and my gma will be at the game!!

 

[viman96]

I'd rather lose @NY and win against the Eagles. The team will be in a great position if they go 2-1 heading into the mini bye. Then they have 10 days to prepare for Philly.

 

[cowboys2233]

I'd rather lose @NY and win against the Eagles. The team will be in a great position if they go 2-1 heading into the mini bye. Then they have 10 days to prepare for Philly.

I think we'll win the next two but that Bears game is one that worries me -- if there was ever a trap game, that's it. The final game in a 3-game stretch, against a team with a poor record but a lot of individual talent, on the road, likely cold weather, and the second game against the Eagles ten days later. On the other hand, if we win the first two, as well as the second game against the Eagles, I can probably live with a loss against the Bears. Probably. I really want a first-week bye and I think this team has a chance to do it.

 

[KJJ]

I'd rather lose @NY and win against the Eagles. The team will be in a great position if they go 2-1 heading into the mini bye. Then they have 10 days to prepare for Philly.

They've had 2 weeks to prepare for the Giants I see real trouble ahead if the Cowboys lose that game. Mark my words! A loss would leave them at 7-4 the same record they had in 2011 but with a much tougher schedule ahead than during that season.

 

[5Stars]

They've had 2 weeks to prepare for the Giants I see real trouble ahead if the Cowboys lose that game. Mark my words!

Is that what you wish for? Why project something like this?

The Cowboys could lose the Giants game and go undefeated the rest of the way to the SB. So...I hope you don't have to eat those words.

 

[ufcrules1]

gut says 10-6, miss out on 6th seed to 49ers

Pretty spot on with how I feel. We have one shot at this and that is to get on a hot streak and win the division. Just from the past 4 years alone you have that feeling that they are going to self destruct at some point.

 

[5Stars]

Pretty spot on with how I feel. We have one shot at this and that is to get on a hot streak and win the division. Just from the past 4 years alone you have that feeling that they are going to self destruct at some point.

Don't worry dude, Romo will lose the games all by himself. lol

Then you can be Happy!

 

[Crown Royal]

My feelings rarely fail me in regards to this team this time of year which is why I'm concerned about the Giants game. I had a real bad feeling heading into the Washington game and we saw what happened there. Anytime you're approaching a huge game you want to playing well heading into it. Losing to a Giants team that hasn't won since week 5 could end up being a devastating blow that could rattle the Cowboys confidence sending them into a late season tailspin they'll have a difficult time coming out of.

A loss to the Giants would leave the Cowboys 1-3 in their last 4 games and that's not what they want heading into the toughest part of their schedule. With Philly coming up twice in 3 weeks the Cowboys can ill afford to start slumping with the meat of their schedule approaching. They need to take care of the Giants and start playing the kind of football we saw from them when they took it to Seattle in week 6. They start playing that kind of football again they'll win the division and do some damage in the playoffs.

I was concerned about Washington because of tactical issues Haslett always presents against our offense. Fewell has never scared me.

 

[keds]

This is a serious stretch of games for our Cowboys. Many prognosticators and fans believe we must win the East to even land a playoff birth. I almost feel that way too--not all the way, but leaning towards winning the division.

I usually dismiss gut instincts/feelings, but I have to say; handle the Giants, and I feel really good about beating down the Eagles, and I mean really good about it come Thanksgiving.

That's as far as I will prognosticate. What's your gut tell you?

We have more depth this year... Guys on defense are a lot fresher... more guys sharing snaps... offensive line starters relatively healthy... other than Romo's back, hard to imagine us not having a good chance to win the division...

 

[viman96]

Cowboys win officially ends the Giants playoff hopes.

 

[lwehlers]

My gut feeling is that if they win the next 2, and don't suffer anymore significant injuries, they'll make the playoffs. If they lose one of these next 2, I sense there will be a great disturbance in the force, and they will not make the playoffs.

if the cowboys lose the next two then this season is over. I do not see this team recovering from losing two straight games in one week. just my gut feeling.

 

[Red Dragon]

Gut feeling:


If we go 2-0 over the next few days, we win the division.

If we go 0-2 over the next few days, we miss the playoffs.

 

[KJJ]

We have more depth this year... Guys on defense are a lot fresher... more guys sharing snaps... offensive line starters relatively healthy... other than Romo's back, hard to imagine us not having a good chance to win the division...

The Cowboys do have a good chance to win the division they're in better position than Philly assuming Romo stays on the field and the Cowboys don't start fading. Philly is likely stuck with Mark Sanchez for the remainder of the season which improves the Cowboys chances. Early in the season Philly was able to battle from pretty far behind to win some games including overcoming a 17 point deficit to JAX on opening day. They're no longer in a position to battle back from large deficits with Sanchez we saw that last week vs Green Bay. For him to play well he has to manage games because he's not the type of QB who can win games if he's forced to put the ball up 40+ times. He was successful with the Jets his first few seasons due to a solid running game and a defense that allowed him to play within himself. Once his defense and running game disappeared it exposed him and he flamed out.

There's at least 3 games left on Philly's schedule (Cowboys, Seahawks, Cowboys) where Sanchez may be put in a position where he has to put the ball up a lot. If the Giants don't lay down in the season finale and Eli has a good game Sanchez may be pushed beyond his comfort zone in that one. Obviously Philly would like to be able to run McCoy and use Sproles out in space to allow Sanchez to get the ball out quick. The key to beating Philly is to make them have to play catch up and pressure Sanchez. He's already had 6 turnovers in 3 games it was clear last week with his 4 turnovers that nothing has changed with him. Get Philly down and come after Sanchez in his last 5 games including his last 2 with the Jets he's had 13 turnovers including 8 fumbles. I haven't seen many QB's who lack the pocket awareness he does. in only 4 full seasons with the Jets he had 43 fumbles losing 20 of them.

 

[KJJ]

I was concerned about Washington because of tactical issues Haslett always presents against our offense. Fewell has never scared me.

I was concerned about Washington because they were 2-5 playing with a 3rd string journeymen QB while the Cowboys were heavily favored riding high with a 6 game winning streak. They were atop all the power polls and that game had TRAP written all over it. The Cowboys have a pattern of playing down to the level of struggling opponents and it ends up costing them a game that usually comes back to haunt them. I'm not as concerned about the Giants game as the Washington game because the Cowboys aren't sitting as pretty as they were entering week 8.

They know at this stage of the season with only 6 games left and tied for the lead in their division they can't afford to slip up. Early in the season a team can recover from a 2 game slump and get back into contention with more than half the season left but with only 6 games left in a tight divisional race you have to start playing your best football. I'm just hoping the Cowboys best football this season hasn't already come and gone.

 

[Mansta54]

My gut says we'll win 5 of our next 6 games and possibly all 6.

 

[punchnjudy]

My gut says the Eagles are a paper tiger with Sanchez. Avoid gift wrapping them a lot of points like Carolina did and he won't do much. Their D doesn't scare me.

The Giants worry me more than the Eagles, but my gut feeling is Dallas will absolutely not lose both games as long as Weeden doesn't take any meaningful snaps. If they do blow it tomorrow night, they'll be especially focused for philly. The Giants are dangerous because they really have no pressure and Eli is a very streaky qb who is capable of inflicting a lot of damage if he gets on a roll. Dallas absolutely should win though, and should be favored in all their remaining games.

edited to add: I've already decided that until this team loses its 7th game or wins its 10th game, I'm not going to get too caught up in playoff implications. Every game on the schedule is very much winnable (and not just in the 'any given sunday' sense), but of course we also know how everything can change on a dime.

 

[fifaguy]

Gut feeling:


If we go 2-0 over the next few days, we win the division.

If we go 0-2 over the next few days, we miss the playoffs.

I'm with you on his. It all starts tomorrow night. Cowboys better bring their A game....

 

[kramskoi]

I think we'll win the next two but that Bears game is one that worries me -- if there was ever a trap game, that's it. The final game in a 3-game stretch, against a team with a poor record but a lot of individual talent, on the road, likely cold weather, and the second game against the Eagles ten days later. On the other hand, if we win the first two, as well as the second game against the Eagles, I can probably live with a loss against the Bears. Probably. I really want a first-week bye and I think this team has a chance to do it.

A trap game after that hideous 45-28 beat-down last year? I don't see it. All Garrett needs to do is roll the tape on that garbage and they'll come to their senses pretty damn quick...they will lose if they stray from the running game and lose the turnover battle. There are no more "trap" games left for the Cowboys. They need 4-2 or better to ensure a playoff spot. Like Mincey said..."it's time to raise the bar". This team needs to be better than it was during its 6-0 run. I think the players realize this.

http://cowboyszone.com/2013/12/bears-45-cowboys-28-iced-and-cubed.html

 

[kramskoi]

I was concerned about Washington because they were 2-5 playing with a 3rd string journeymen QB while the Cowboys were heavily favored riding high with a 6 game winning streak. They were atop all the power polls and that game had TRAP written all over it. The Cowboys have a pattern of playing down to the level of struggling opponents and it ends up costing them a game that usually comes back to haunt them. I'm not as concerned about the Giants game as the Washington game because the Cowboys aren't sitting as pretty as they were entering week 8.

They know at this stage of the season with only 6 games left and tied for the lead in their division they can't afford to slip up. Early in the season a team can recover from a 2 game slump and get back into contention with more than half the season left but with only 6 games left in a tight divisional race you have to start playing your best football. I'm just hoping the Cowboys best football this season hasn't already come and gone.

Well we will know if the d-line is getting better or not after Sunday night. If they are improving, then they should be able to bomb the makeshift Giants line and get Eli on the floor a few times. If not, they are going to be in a battle to the bell, which does not exactly make a short week game on Thursday any easier to take.

 

[kramskoi]

I'm with you on his. It all starts tomorrow night. Cowboys better bring their A game....

0-2 would indeed be catastrophic and proof that they are not ready for prime time. Marinelli better have that d-line rabid is all I'm saying...or else.